Month: February 2017

Metal Detecting: The Basics Metal detecting can be lucrative. However, you should be aware that there are certain steps you should take if you plan on taking up this hobby. Luckily, this guide should help you to gain a basic understanding of what is required to get started metal detecting.

Buy The Right Metal Detector

Your first Metal Detector You should begin with an entry level metal detector. Something that will allow you to go out to your local park and practice. When it comes to metal detecting practice makes perfect.

Keep in mind that you’ll likely feel frustrated as you comb through an area inch by inch. Just keep practicing and never give up.

Take A Trip To The Beach

Many have found that beaches serve as excellent places to go metal detecting due to the high volumes of people who visit them and, as a result, drop things. One man’s loss is another man’s gain.

Depending on the detector that you buy, it may take you a while to figure out all of the bell’s and whistle’s, but when you finally do you’ll likely find more success (that means more treasure!).

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice as much as you can and learn the ins and outs of your first metal detector. You can find most entry level detectors for around $160 to $400 as of the time of this writing. Swing your Metal Detector properly Swinging your metal detector correctly while sweeping an area is absolutely crucial to avoid missing items. If you swing too quickly, you won’t give the metal detecting coil enough time to find items in the ground (especially smaller items).

You should practice making low and slow sweeps. You never want the metal detector to touch the ground, but you do want it close enough that it’ll be able to detect items beneath the soil.

Read and learn as much as you can. There are plenty of metal detector sites online one of our favorites is www.metaldetectorlist.com

Come properly equipped

As you’re out hunting for treasure, you’ll learn that it takes more than a metal detector to claim your prize.

You still have to extract your discovery. There are many items you can bring along, but you definitely want to bring these basic things along: Make sure to carry a shovel or spade for digging when you make a potential find (typically handheld so that it’s easy to carry).

Footwear

Bring walking shoes or boots to avoid wear and tear on your feet. Wear pants that can take punishment as well as gloves and kneepads. You’ll likely be on your hands and knees as you’re digging for treasure.

Also, never underestimate the amount of time you may be out treasure hunting. Bring enough water to keep yourself properly hydrated. Care for your metal detector

The more you take care of your metal detector that more it’ll take care of you. Make sure to use special lubricants to maintain the wiring. You should brush the sand out of the various nooks and crannies and hose your metal detector down with fresh water. Make sure to store it in a place where the weather won’t damage it.

Maintaining Your Detector

Caring for your metal detector can save you money in costly repairs later on down the road. Do research on where to huntIf you don’t want to end up wasting your time, it would be wise to do research on an area before embarking on a treasure hunt. You want to find places that have high activity such as parks, beaches, fairgrounds, etc. Also, places that have been around for a long time such as an old piece of property or a historic park would be a great place to go hunting. Always be mindful of the local laws to make sure that it’s okay for you to go hunting in certain areas and you should be good to go.

Metal Detecting Laws

Take the time to learn local metal detecting laws and regulations. For example, you can’t go hunting on private property because that would be considered trespassing. Other locations that are off limits are state and national parks. If you get caught, there’s a chance that the local park rangers will confiscate your metal detector and write you a ticket.

Places such as churches, city parks, schools, and beaches all have local laws that determine whether or not it’s okay to metal detect there. If you’re uncertain about a particular area, contact the proper authorities for more information.

Have Fun!

Metal detecting can be fun and exciting. As you become more and more experienced, you can upgrade from a beginning metal detector to something more sophisticated. Believe it or not, there are metal detectors out there that cost $10,000! As you very well can imagine such an expensive metal detector would be for the truly serious treasure hunters. For now, a beginning metal detector is all you need to get started. Stay safe, be mindful of the law, and have fun!